ERDF and Cassidian/Survey Copter Collaborate for Civil Uses of UAVs

By Caroline Rees / 18 Jun 2013

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow UST

A cooperative experiment that has been on-going for about a year between French electricity distribution network operator ERDF (Electricité Réseau Distribution France) in the “Sillon Rhodanien” region and Survey Copter, a subsidiary of Cassidian, aims to define and develop UAV usage for the inspection of medium-high-voltage aerial power lines. The use of specially dedicated UAVs will enable the operators of ERDF to obtain directly usable data, more regularly and at less cost, on the condition of the networks (conductors, pylons) and to visualise and model interference with vegetation, for scheduling of maintenance and tree-pruning operations. This cooperation, which until now has been tested in the Drome and Ardèche départements, should lead to the deployment of a Copter 4 UAV from Survey Copter during the course of 2014. With an all-up weight of about 30 kilos, the Copter 4 offers a range of about 50 kilometres and can stay in the air for about two hours.

ERDF Helicopter

This type of mission is also of particular importance in the event of major meteorological events or climatic hazards leading to fallen power lines. The speed of diagnosis and rapid detection of the affected areas is a key element in restoring power. The use of a DVF 2000 UAV from Survey Copter allows rapid inspection of the aerial lines, with identification of any damage, as well as the condition of the road infrastructures allowing access to the damaged lines.

ERDF and Survey Copter cooperation on the choice of UAV for this type of mission will also lead to a rise in the number of automated operations, offering a solution that is technically and economically far more competitive.

“Rapidly obtaining extremely precise images of locations that are often inaccessible, thus speeding up repairs and restoration of the networks following meteorological events, is a real need for ERDF and our collaboration with Survey Copter would seem to demonstrate that UAVs give a clear edge in this sector. The purpose of the experiments currently under way is to validate the feasibility and economic conditions of this innovative technique,” states Claude Dubreuil, Deputy Director of ERDF for the Sillon Rhodanien region.

“The aim of our cooperation with ERDF is to implement real industrial solutions able to meet the need for inspection not only of the aerial lines, but also of other electricity production infrastructure: dams, nuclear power plants, wind farms, photovoltaic plants, etc. The variety of our UAVs and the sensors we can install on them means that we can address all these requirements. The roadmap we have established with ERDF will enable us to develop and then gradually deploy these solutions, involving other partners so that eventually a complete service can be provided, including not only data collection by the UAV, but also its post-processing and formatting. Our vision is a global one and ERDF will need robust partners for the long term; Survey Copter and Cassidian have both the capacity and the desire to become these partners,” adds Jean-Marc Masenelli, CEO of Survey Copter.

Posted by Caroline Rees Caroline co-founded Unmanned Systems Technology and has been at the forefront of the business ever since. With a Masters Degree in marketing Caroline has her finger on the pulse of all things unmanned and is committed to showcasing the very latest in unmanned technical innovation. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

FAA Approves Canadian UAVs’ Sparrowhawk™ Radar for BVLOS Drone Operations

Canadian UAVs have detailed recent FAA approval of its Sparrowhawkâ„¢ Radar system, enabling advanced drone operations for police first responders in U.S. urban airspace

May 22, 2025
OceanAlpha to Demonstrate High-Endurance Autonomous USV in Dubai

OceanAlpha will demonstrate its L25 USV in Dubai, showcasing autonomous survey technology designed for offshore applications, long-endurance missions, and real-time data acquisition

May 22, 2025
Sagetech Partners to Expand BVLOS UAS Capabilities

Sagetech Avionics and MatrixSpace are advancing BVLOS capabilities for uncrewed systems with integrated detect and avoid technologies for safe, scalable UAS operations

May 22, 2025
New Gimbaled Imaging System Released for Attritable Platforms

The new HD25-LV-C by Trillium Engineering is a low-cost, gimbaled imaging system weighing less than 400g and designed to provide advanced imaging and processing capabilities for expendable sUAS

May 21, 2025
Hybrid Navigation Solution for Enhanced Resilience Against GPS Jamming & Spoofing

The new navigation solution successfully demonstrated by Advanced Navigation utilizes a software-fused inertial-centred architecture and a new laser velocity sensor

May 21, 2025
Ascent AeroSystems & Gremsy Partner on UAS Sensor Integration

Ascent AeroSystems and Gremsy agree to sign an MoU at XPONENTIAL 2025 to explore advanced sensor integration and UAS development opportunities

May 21, 2025

Featured Content

Final Call to Apply for GENIUS NY Program

The application window for GENIUS NY, the premier uncrewed systems accelerator, closes May 28th. Learn about this incredible opportunity and explore how GENIUS NY champions innovation as the official XPO+ Launcher sponsor, at XPO Booth 3613

May 20, 2025
WarrenUAS Secures FAA 44807 Exemption, Expanding Large UAS Training Capabilities

WarrenUAS has received FAA 44807 approval to train students on unmanned aerial systems weighing over 55 pounds in the NAS, placing it among only five U.S. organizations with this clearance, and expanding its national training leadership

May 15, 2025
Product Spotlight: Durable Lightweight Lithium-Ion Batteries for UAVs

American Lithium Energy (ALE)'s energy-dense lithium-ion battery cells combine high power output with built-in safety features, ideal for UAV and eVTOL applications in challenging environments

May 14, 2025
Advancing Unmanned Systems Through Strategic Collaboration UST works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive unmanned systems capabilities forward.